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Reform proposals increase pressure on Arafat

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Sunday, May 19, 2002 RAMALLAH Ñ Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat faces increasing pressure within his leadership amid efforts to meet U.S. demands to streamline his regime.

On Sunday, Arafat is scheduled to discuss elections with a newly-appointed panel in wake of a call by Palestinian legislators. For his part, Arafat has rejected holding new elections until Israel withdraws from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

So far, the campaign to reform the PA has thrown the regime into disarray. The Qatari-based A-Jazeera satellite television reported on late Saturday that 20 Cabinet ministers have already submitted their resignations to Arafat. The Palestinian Al Ayyam daily reported on Sunday that 15 ministers resigned in an effort to fulfill Arafat's pledge to reduce the cabinet.

Palestinian sources said several Palestinian ministers were alarmed by reports that Arafat was working with U.S. officials on a plan to reduce the Cabinet from the current 34 to 19 members. They said the plan was said to have been drafted by U.S. officials along with Arafat's financial adviser Mohammed Rashid.

Rashid has been the target of a campaign by Palestinian reformers. The reformers charge that Rashid has been one of the most corrupt members of the authority and has not maintained any accountability to the Palestinian leadership.


Geostrategy-Direct, www.geostrategy-direct.com, April 23, 2002
Copyright © 2002 East West Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

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